Reflections and Regrets
by Steve993
Summary: In the moment of his death at the hands of Anakin Skywalker Count Dooku is given a chance to reflect and repent on his past sins with help a from an old friend. In memory of Sir Christopher Lee (1922-2015)


Author's Note: So as most of you may have heard by now Sir Christopher Lee passed away recently at the age of 93. This is a story dedicated to him and featuring an interaction that ever since it was brought up in Attack Of The Clones I was kind of upset we never saw except for a brief vision in the Clone Wars. So here we go.

Betrayed was how Dooku felt right now. Betrayed. After all he had done for his master there he was in his disguise as Chancellor Palpatine to give the order to his enemy Anakin Skywalker to kill him. Was he just doing this to keep up the façade? Maybe but why would he risk his life like this? He had planned this all along. Mother Talzin was right when Sidious sent him to confront Maul and both mentioned his treacherous nature and how he had plans to replace him he just didn't believe it now he did.

Dooku sat there in deep thought only occasionally looking up to see Anakin's face as he hesitantly tried to rationalise to the Chancellor that maybe he was going to far. Normally he would call him a fool as all Jedi were with their so called nobility but he'd rather be alive right now than dead. Suddenly Dooku heard a voice. One he had not heard in quite sometime and thought he'd never hear again.

"Dooku. My master" said the voice

Dooku concentrated and suddenly he found himself in a black endless void that he could only assume was some realm in his mind brought on by the Force. He tried to communicate with the voice.

"Whoever is there I'd advise you to go away. I'm in no mood for talking to anyone" said the Count feeling nothing more than sadness an emotion he thought he'd hidden well beyond the point of it resurfacing. But things were to change when the voice made it's physical or rather spiritual presence known.

"And what about very old friends? said the spirit of Dooku's former deceased Padawan Qui-Gon Jinn. Former master of his enemy Obi-Wan Kenobi who was the master of his soon to be executioner Anakin Skywalker who was found by Qui-Gon and brought to the Order in the first place.

Dooku though somewhat knowledgeable of Force spirits never believed it was possible to become one. They were only reported as legend. But now here was his apprentice as one of them. But why was he here?

"You've been busy of late old friend" Qui-Gon told him. Dooku looked at his apprentice with annoyance.

"Come to reprimand me for my failure? Tell me how it was unwise to leave the Order and work for someone who I should have known couldn't be trusted but I did anyway?" said the Count in an uncaring tone. He was clearly worn down and just wanted it to end.

"No. I've come to forgive you and to tell you its okay" he told him in the sincere tone he often had.

Dooku was surprised but he knew his apprentice well enough that he'd except him to try something like this. Not buying into it he enquired why.

"Why? I have nothing to forgive I betrayed everything I ever was and where did it get me? My hands gone and now I await doom at the hands of the boy you brought to the Temple. He is reckless and undisciplined" Dooku now getting impatient a rarity for him. But Qui-Gon calmly persisted.

"Anakin is a tad reckless but notice how he hasn't killed you yet? He has shown restraint enough to know when an opponent should be executed and not. He believes you shouldn't."

"Why won't he kill me though? I've caused nothing but harm and death. I've hurt plenty of his friends and loved ones including that apprentice of his. It's what he always wanted why can't he just be honest? the Count was getting more frustrated and couldn't understand why he hadn't been killed yet. However like always Qui-Gon was perceptive and knew what he was truly feeling. Though he still was wondering why his apprentice was still here he couldn't help but feel admiration like he once did and was grateful somewhat that Qui-Gon's persistence hadn't left him.

"Perhaps it is because he still sees you as an honourable warrior which you are deep down even with the Dark Side at your disposal. But I know the real reason you are angry. You hate yourself not the people around you."

Dooku stopped looking at him. Though he was a little happy to see Qui-Gon now he had enough him. He just wanted be alone and just embrace death. Mainly because he knew his apprentice was right.

"You feel ashamed that you gave up nobility and honour for greed and power when all it got you was hate in return. Now you believe you will achieve no peace in death and will forever roam the world beyond lost with no guidance." Qui-Gon's tone was like a sincere parent helping their child comes to grips with something little they did bit to them they felt it was everything. Dooku suddenly did something he had not done in a longtime. He burst into angry tone with tears that his apprentice had hardly seen from his master nor did anyone. Dooku was the most composed man he had known but now lost and broken here he was grovelling.

"Of course I'm ashamed! I was doing what I thought was best but in reality I did more harm than good. The Dark Side was indeed powerful and proved it's superiority. The Jedi have lost my apprentice. They will fall to their own foolishness. As I have being one of them soon shall the rest fall" Dooku bitterly said. Qui-Gon realising he wasn't getting through to his master decided to remind Dooku of who he was and forever shall be and that the Dark Side hadn't made him lose sight of who he once was.

A bright flash of light surrounded the area and Dooku who shut his eyes assuming Skywalker had finally killed him and he was being sent to the afterlife waiting to be condemned. What he saw instead was even more surprising than his apprentice's ghost. He was on his home planet Sereno. He looked around the room carefully and saw this was his room. He didn't understand. His apprentice than appeared once again. He assumed this was his doing.

"Where are we Qui-Gon?" Dooku asked wanting answers

"Somewhere familiar Master. I have taken you back to remind you of who you were to your people and those you trusted." Qui-Gon stated.

Dooku then caught sight of a man entering th room with another who had a moustache. The man then spoke at which Dooku realised he was in the past and that the young man was him.

"You've become quite the hero here my friend. You've been gone a year and everyone is already telling the stories of the bravest man to ever grace Sereno the heroic Jedi who will come save the day no matter what. Your family would have been proud."

"Spare me the pleasantries Vincent. We Jedi keep the peace but the legends and stories are greatly exaggerated." the young Dooku stated to his friend who always had a fondness for the theatrics and arts and often liked scaring people with tales. However he was beginning to grow out of them and as much as he was sad to admit it maybe it was time for him and Vincent to part ways as friends. "What of Peter?" the younger Dooku had asked of his other friend who last time Dooku had seen him had gone to help refugees on other planets as he was always keen on helping others. The last one had been sent too had been ravaged by war between the people of its world against the corrupt political leaders which had prompted Dooku's career into politics before joining the Jedi. Both men were determined to make a difference.

"I'm sorry my friend. Peter is dead. He was killed in a bombing while looking after a family. The war has since ended but many had been lost. I am sorry you were never told." Vincent told his friend in a regretful tone that had only made Dooku more saddened. How could he have not known of this? What else was he hiding? He decided to ask of his secret love from the Jedi council he had met before being recruited into the Order, Countess Ororo Montoya.

"What of Montoya? Did she wait for me?" Dooku asked in a hopeful tone. He had promised that despite the Jedi code they would marry in secret. With a look from Vincent he knew he was in for something bad. He handed him a letter from Montoya that read she had left Sereno for another man not wanting to wait for him anymore with the risk of getting in trouble. Dooku felt betrayed. After all he had done this is how it ends?

Meanwhile the elder Dooku who had remained quiet during this memory finally spoke to Qui-Gon deducing that they couldn't be seen or heard by the past versions of himself.

"Why are you showing me more signs of failure? I lost everything this day!" Dooku shouted. Qui-Gon looked at him not commenting just pointing to the scene.

As they had since moved on from young Dooku's meeting with Vincent to the young Dooku wandering the streets. What was he to do now? Return to the Jedi Order that had cost him everything? Suddenly his Jedi instincts kicked in as he saw a young boy inside a building that was on fire. Instantly he jumped into the air to the astonished sight of those who were around him as they gathered to see this rescue while praying for both of their safety with the boys parents who had already been rescued. Jumping in the broken window Dooku used the Force to clear the smoke way from him that was clouding his vision and probably that of those who had tried to enter the room and rescue the boy before him. He then lifted a chair that the boy was under as he instantly got him to move noticing he had no injuries but was coughing and couldn't see very well due to the effects of the smoke and fire but he could see Dooku in front of him signalling him to grab his hand. Finally Dooku grabbed the boy but held him tight and tried to reassure him of his safety.

"Do not worry. Everything will be alright. We all will face demons and the issues of the galaxy at large but its those that will stand in the face of fear that will truly be strong. Fear is a weakness not a strength nor ally. Be strong my boy. Till we meet again." Dooku had suddenly realised this was what Peter had said to him before he left. Dooku smiled realising that hope wasn't lost and that his friend will forever watch over him. Dooku than gently jumped down with the boy who ran to his parents. The people clapped for Dooku proud that one of Sereno's finest had been chosen to be apart of the Jedi Order. Dooku smiled realising he still had a place in the Order and vowed to keep the message of peace alive and honour his friend Peter's memory and those who had died by fighting for peace and justice throughout the galaxy alongside his fellow Jedi.

The elder Dooku was surprised. In all his time under Sidiou's teachings he had thought he had been able to repress seemingly pleasant memories that his master told him would make him weak. Qui-Gon then spoke as the world changed back to the void they were in before.

"Do you see now my friend? You had been noble once and you had made a promise but somewhere down the line you had forgotten it. But you realise now that you can still make peace? It is not to late to reflect on your regrets. What say you master?"

"You're right my friend and now I realise I was wrong but seeing that made me more happy than I have been in a long time. These false feelings I thought were real were just brought on by the Dark Side's influence when in reality I was nothing more than miserable. I have many apologies to make. But right now I only wish to die and say that I'm sorry to you, the Jedi Order and to Peter and everyone I have hurt.

"Apology accepted old friend." Qui-Gon then gestured Dooku to Peter's spirit who had joined Qui-Gon's which Dooku found even more questionable as Peter was not a Jedi therefore he couldn't obtain a form like this however it had been long since he'd seen his friend he realised he bore an odd resemblance to the Republic Admiral Tarkin who he had once tried to recruit to his side. Dooku then smiled. Not a smile of evil but a genuine smile of happiness. While his actions will forever haunt him and it will take time for him to fully forgive himself this was a start.

Suddenly Dooku had found himself on board the Invisible Hand again still facing Skywalker with the same shocked look he had before. Was that all a vision? Planted by Qui-Gon to help him atone of his mistakes in this moment of death?

"Do it!" his former Sith master told Skywalker. Finally he closed his eyes as Skywalker followed Sidious's wish and beheaded him Dooku feeling death instantly with his body falling and his head rolling alongside it as Anakin stood over the fallen Sith.

Dooku could only hope that whoever or whatever laid beyond would forgive him and that he would be reunited with Qui-Gon and Peter now a true a Jedi once more.

So yeah that's the story. It's a non-canon venture so its bound to make no sense but it was just something I thought of to honour a great actor and the character he played. RIP Sir Christopher Lee. Forever a legend.


End file.
